Built in a weekend
The original 2048 was hacked together by 19-year-old Gabriele Cirulli in a weekend; he open-sourced it and it hit millions of plays within days.
Origin story
2048 — Simple. Smooth. Private.
Play
Ready. Reach 2048!
Tip: You can also use W/A/S/D.
About 2048
2048 is a minimalist number-puzzle played on a 4×4 grid. You slide all tiles in one direction (↑ ↓ ← →). When two tiles with the same value touch, they merge into one, doubling the number. New tiles (usually a 2, sometimes a 4) appear after each move. The aim is to create a 2048 tile — and see how far you can go.
Learn more on Wikipedia: 2048 – the puzzle game.
How to Play
- Use ← → ↑ ↓ (or swipe) to move all tiles.
- Tiles with the same number merge once per move.
- A new 2 (90% chance) or 4 (10%) spawns after each valid move.
- Your score increases by the value of merged tiles. Best is saved locally on your device.
Winning Strategies (Simple & Reliable)
- Pick a “corner” and protect it. Keep your highest tile fixed in one corner (e.g., bottom-right). Avoid moves that pull it out.
- Make a monotonic row/column. Next to your corner, arrange numbers in descending order (e.g., 128-64-32-16). This prevents loose tiles blocking merges.
- Prefer two directions. Most moves should alternate between two axes (e.g., right ↓). Use the other two only to resolve jams.
- Don’t swipe on impulse. A “no-gain” move still spawns a new tile and can clog the board. Look ahead one step.
- Clear low tiles early. If a small number sneaks into your corner row, fix it quickly before the board fills.
Scoring & Tile Values
Each merge adds to your score the value of the resulting tile. Sequence goes: 2 → 4 → 8 → 16 → 32 → 64 → 128 → 256 → 512 → 1024 → 2048 → 4096 … The board size (4×4) keeps the game tactical; efficient merges matter more than speed.
FAQ
Is this version private?
Yes. It runs entirely in your browser; no gameplay data is uploaded. Best score is stored in localStorage on your device.
What does Undo do?
Undo reverts the last move only (grid and score). It’s disabled if you haven’t moved yet or already used it.
Any tips for beginners?
Commit to a corner, avoid vertical moves that dislodge your top tile, and only break pattern to resolve a blockage.
Scoring & Tile Values
Merges add the value of the resulting tile to your score. Sequence: 2 → 4 → 8 → 16 → 32 → 64 → 128 → 256 → 512 → 1024 → 2048 → 4096 …
Best score is stored locally on your device (localStorage).
5 Fun Facts about 2048
Hidden ceiling
On a 4×4 grid the theoretical max tile is 131,072—you’d need perfect merges with no empty spaces the entire way to reach it.
Math peak
Spawn odds favor twos
New tiles are 90% 2s and 10% 4s, so each spawn averages 2.2 points of “mass” creeping onto the board.
Tile RNG
Three-key wins
Most high-score runs avoid one direction entirely (often “Up”), keeping the biggest tile glued to a corner and shrinking the decision tree.
Corner play
Bots solved it fast
Within weeks of launch, minimax and expectimax bots were hitting 2048 (and beyond) almost every run—turning the puzzle into an AI playground.
Bot rush